When I buy broccoli and cauliflower and they ask me: “ma’am, should I cut them?” I confidently say no!
I bring home broccoli, cauliflower, and their stems whole to minimize waste.
What to do with broccoli and cauliflower stems?
A sort of pesto perfect for adding body and flavor to your dishes:
• broccoli stem pesto;
• cauliflower stem pesto;
or mixed if you have scraps of both.
I store it in the freezer in ice cube trays or portioned in plastic wrap:
• it’s excellent for seasoning numerous dishes [such as legumes, minestrone, soups];
• it’s delicious for dressing pastas and on bread crostini.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli (scraps)
- 1 cauliflower (scraps)
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes (well-drained if in oil)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
Tools
- 1 Chopper or Mixer
Preparations
You can use indifferently:
• broccoli scraps;
• cauliflower scraps;
• both.
Cut the broccoli into florets and set them aside for the preparation of boiled Sicilian broccoli [basic recipe for various dishes].
Take back the stem and anything else you have discarded.
Retrieve the parts of the stem that are not excessively fibrous [you’ll notice when cutting] and any leaves: we’ll call them broccoli scraps for convenience.
You can boil the broccoli scraps together with the florets and then separate them or directly separately, as you prefer and according to the quantities.
The procedure is the same as boiled Sicilian broccoli [scramuzza or scramuzzatura].In a pot, bring salted water to a boil.
Add the broccoli florets and/or broccoli scraps and a pinch of baking soda so they remain a bright green color and let cook for about 8-10 minutes until tender.With the aid of a slotted spoon, gently remove and transfer to a container.
Cut the cauliflower into florets and set them aside for the preparation of boiled cauliflower tops [basic recipe for various dishes].
Take back the stem and anything else you have discarded.
Retrieve the parts of the stem that are not excessively fibrous [you’ll notice when cutting] and any leaves: we’ll call them cauliflower scraps for convenience.
You can boil the cauliflower scraps together with the florets and then separate them or directly separately, as you prefer and according to the quantities.
The procedure is the same as boiled cauliflower topsIn a pot, bring salted water to a boil.
Add the cauliflower florets and/or cauliflower scraps and a pinch of baking soda and let cook for about 20 minutes until tender.With the aid of a slotted spoon, gently remove and transfer to a container.
… cook the broccoli scraps and cauliflower scraps together [without the respective florets] for just 10 minutes.
In a mixer, add:
• either the boiled broccoli scraps;
• or the boiled cauliflower scraps;
• or both;
• the sun-dried tomatoes [optional];
• a pinch of salt;
• a pinch of pepper;
and chop.I store the stem pesto in the freezer in ice cube trays or portioned in plastic wrap:
• it’s excellent for seasoning numerous dishes [such as legumes, minestrone, soups];
• it’s delicious for dressing pastas and on bread crostini.
Notes
Hyperglycemia, prediabetes and diabetes.
Here you will find dedicated recipes.
Remember:
• start the meal with a generous portion of vegetables [raw or cooked];
• a balanced meal must contain all nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats & fiber;
• always prepare it respecting the proportions and combinations indicated in your dietary plan.
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